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Issues of 2008

Russian navy: defenders of the motherland in old postcards

Heroic life of Russian man of war▓s men is pictured in many important art pieces, writings and films. Among them are works by I. Aivazovsky, Stanukovich, A. Gansen, S. Kolbasiev, old and rather new movies like ⌠Ships Storm the Bastions■ and ⌠Skipper Next to God■ and many others. There is no wonder that many postcards were and still are devoted to the naval subject as well.

Seamen in general belong to a very special caste. It goes without saying that those who serve in the Navy are even more specific people. They have their own customs and traditions, believes, slang, tales and gags, attitude towards women, military service and the Motherland. Navy service has been always considered more complicated and dangerous than the general field-duty. It is obvious that a long-time stay in a closed space of a warship demands psychological stability and strong health.

Long live to the mighty Navy of the Soviet Union. 1939 [zoom (54k)]

I believe that nearly every boy in his childhood has dreamt about long voyages, distant seas and lands, imaging himself a captain on the bridge with a dirk attached to the belt, observing maneuvers of warships through a spyglass... Even the uniform of old sea dogs appealed to bravery and valiance of the future young captains: ribbons of sailor hats were two inches longer than they should be, while flared trousers were three centimeters wider than usual.

Indeed, the naval service is a permanent challenge for anyone. A sailor has to stand up the hostile environment, enemy threats, overcome numerous hardships during his service. The Russian Navy (and submarine fleet armed with intercontinental ballistic missiles, in particular) was the credible deterrent in the times of the cold war. At the same time, seamen have a reputation not only for their courage but also for their sense of humor, sharp tongue and ability to find a way out of any intricate situation.

At all times, only the most healthy and strong men were called out to the naval service. The ⌠Naval book■, published in 1870s, contained many specifications and requirements for candidates, as well as the list of illnesses that a potential seaman should not have. Interestingly, among such maladies was ⌠incurable baldness■. Alas, adherents of Yul Brynner▓s hairdo style (American actor of the Russian origin, most famous for the role in the movie ⌠The Magnificent Seven■; he was as bald as a knee) had no a single chance to enter the Navy. Probably, such a requirement was connected with a problem of life saving of those went by the board: in many cases, drowning persons were pulled out of the water by the hair.

Naval subject was often reflected in art, including postcards. Postcards of the first half of XX century usually featured images of renowned warships. The early images were drawn by hand (colored or monochrome images); then, drawings were replaced by photographs.

It is believed that Lieutenant N.N. Apostoli was the first to make photographs of almost all of the Russian military vessels, except for the one of the oldest Russian armorclads ⌠Petr Velikii■ (Peter the Great). The ship had been made long before Apostoli became a professional photographer. Later ⌠Peter the Great■ was converted for training. Interestingly, in the drawing a viewer can notice several minor details like washing hanging on the ropes and two steamboats by the board the ship.

Among other prominent early masters of photography were E. Ivanov from Revel (now Tallinn) who has created first-rate quality series of pictures dedicated to the Russian fleet and S. Prokudin-Gorsky whose works were published by the Community of St. Eugenia. All the mentioned pictures are extremely interesting and important, as they are original and credible. The authenticity of a piece is a matter of no little significance, as historians of deltiology are aware of not only expertise mistakes but also true mystifications.

One of such stories began in 1915. The fourth battleship ⌠Emperor Nicolas I■ (meant for the Black Sea fleet) was laid down in the town of Nikolaev in 1915. It was a long-awaited event, as earlier in 1914 Germany presented Turkey two modern warships ⌠Goeben■ and ⌠Breslau■ with German crews. In the beginning of World War I, those ships managed to bombard Sevastopol. Of course, the Russian fleet successfully counterattacked the enemies (we can see that battle in a caricature picture of the age), but a commission of the fourth battleship could cardinally change the situation in the region. The postcard published in Odessa is dedicated to the newly laid battleship. Publisher S. Eroshenko named the vessel in the postcard ⌠Battleship ⌠Ioann Grozny■■ (Ivan the Terrible), while the real ship, which was under construction, had no name yet. Thus, the author had to improvise: the battleship in the postcard resembled existed prototypes, but was not the exact copy of the ship. Unfortunately, the original warship ⌠Emperor Nicolas I■ was not finished due to dramatic events of October 1917.

In 1930s, the Soviet government began forming the new powerful Navy that could operate worldwide. At that time, several publishing houses issued a quite interesting series of postcards dedicated to naval service at battleships. Unfortunately, the postcards were performed in the mezzotint technique; that resulted in the poor quality of images. That project remained unfinished due to the beginning of World War II. The issued pieces reveal the atmosphere of the age: the majority of postcards appealed to patriotism and devotion of the Soviet citizens, like a brave seaman from the battleship ⌠The Commune of Paris■ ready to face off an enemy.

Training ship ⌠Petr Velikii■ (Peter the Great). Photographer unknown. 1910s [zoom (37k)]

It seems that a hero could not have any other thoughts in mind. However, unlike ⌠heroic■ Soviet characters, western sailors often had an opportunity to blow off steam and relax as it can be seen in the French postcard titled ⌠French Seamen Ashore■. The rather scribbled message in the postcard is dated June 8, 1934.

Alas, the Soviet seamen could not use such freedom, as similar behavior was punishable (reportedly, the Soviet sailors were drugged with bromine to reduce sexual appetite). Still, women were often the live issue for seamen: this is evidenced by the picture of a naked girl signed by a member of the crew of the submarine ⌠L-21■: ⌠This modest postcard is a gift from me in rememberance of our friendship and service on board the "L-21" submarine. To Vladimir Drozdov from I.V. Polovenko. 2.02.45, Turku■.

Naval service on underwater ships demanded much devotion and courage; thus, such peccadilloes were quite pardonable. Surprisingly, Soviet seamen managed to take that ⌠capitalistic infection■ on board the ship despite strict control of communist party bodies. The submarine ⌠L-21■ (underwater minelayer) was built in Leningrad in 1940. In May 1942, the vessel was seriously damaged by a German bomb and had to be repaired. Through 1944√1945, it was actively planting mines in the Baltic Sea (as a result, four enemy warships went down). The submarine also torpedoed and sent to the bottom a German patrol ship and a Swedish transport ship.

Postcards of the World War II age unveil many interesting and yet little-known details concerning military actions of the Soviet army. For instance, postcards reveal the role of naval and coastal defense artillery during the siege of Leningrad, as naval artillerymen did not let the enemy destroy the city. The defense ships were situated in Kronshtadt and on the Neva River. For example, destroyer ⌠Resistant■, which was anchored on the Neva River in disguise, supported attacks of the Soviet infantry with naval gunfire.

The modern fleet is not depicted in postcards due to ⌠security reasons■. However, a number of photographs of modern Russian aircraft carriers and submarines have appeared in subject editions recently. The majority of rare and unique pictures of warships of the Soviet era have been made by amateur photographs.